JEFFERSON CITY – Education is easily one of the biggest issues facing Missouri lawmakers this legislative session, and there are no shortage of bills floating around the Capitol aimed at making changes to the recently unaccredited Kansas City school district.

Today, the Missouri House Elementary and Secondary Education is discussing two of those proposals.

The committee’s chairman, Republican Rep. Scott Dieckhaus of Washington, has introduced a bill that would, among other things, replace tenure for Missouri public school teachers with multi-year contracts. The length of those contracts would be based on a teacher’s evaluation and performance.

His bill also would remove prohibitions on merit pay and would require performance be considered when layoffs are required.

Missouri teachers generally receive tenure after teaching in a district for five years, which teacher unions argue gives administrators time to evaluate performance and determine whether someone should become a permanent teacher.

This afternoon, the committee will consider a bill that would allow the state to intervene in failing school districts more quickly. Under current law, a school district has two years after losing its accreditation to turn its performance around or face the potential of a state takeover.

The bill, which is being sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Lair of Chillicothe, has the support of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Missouri teachers union and the Missouri School Boards’ Association. House Minority Leader Mike Talboy, a Kansas City Democrat, said he also would support Lair’s bill and expects it to be greeted warmly by the rest of the city’s legislative delegation.

Sen. Jane Cunningham, a Chesterfield Republican, said she supports the idea but believes it should be coupled with other education proposals. A bill she is sponsoring eliminates the two-year waiting period but also dissolves the Kansas City Public Schools district and would allow students in unaccredited districts to attend parochial or private schools with scholarships funded partly by state tax credits.

The Senate General Laws Committee heard discussion on Cunningham's bill Tuesday night.

The House Education committee held a public hearing this morning on Dieckhaus’ bill. It’s scheduled to reconvene at 3 p.m., when it could vote on Lair’s bill.